Who is Iyad Ag Ghali, the jihadist behind the destabilization of Mali?

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

A central figure in Sahelian jihad for nearly two decades, pursued in turn by the French and the Russians, Ghali led the offensive against the junta in Bamako. Since 2012, the jihadist and leader of Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has softened his rhetoric, seeking to appear more approac